


Bloody Hands

by cosmicchelc



Series: Lucifendi Stories [12]
Category: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, Blood Loss, F/M, Reimagined Meeting, Vampire Bites, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26096776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicchelc/pseuds/cosmicchelc
Summary: It was going to be a double job, Lucy knew well enough. Her marks were low, there was definitely no chance she was actually going into the Scotland Yard for just those.No, no, she had practical use for Scotland Yard now--to donate blood to their resident Detective Inspector.
Relationships: Alfendi Layton/Hilda Pertinax - previous relationship, Hilda Pertinax & Justin Lawson, Lucy Baker & Alfendi Layton, Lucy Baker/Alfendi Layton
Series: Lucifendi Stories [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1106973
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	1. Feeders and Donors

Lucy wrung her hands through and through, attempting to calm her nerves down. The results she had gotten were less than ideal, ones that she was sure that younger her would be surprised at. It must have been the bad Balti from last night, there was no doubt about it. Before she could really quite determine the cause of her poor scores, she was interrupted by an opening of a door, revealing the Commissioner.

"DC Baker, come on in." The Commissioner called, walking away for Lucy to follow. In numb movements, she followed, closing the door behind her. She made no effort to sit, as she was ready for the worst to come, for the Commissioner to tell her that she wasn't fit for a job as such. He sighed and craning her neck a bit, she could tell that her file was on display for him. Deputy Commissioner Chan stood in the corner, most likely prepared to berate her for her poor performance, but not while the Commissioner was speaking.

"DC Baker, I know you may think this is going to be worrisome for you." The Commissioner began, sitting down behind the desk. "I do, however, have a proposition for you."

"Sir?" She questioned, stepping forward slightly.

"Your marks are fine enough that I can still instate you with a badge and all the necessary paperwork. However, I must say that I could have offered this position to someone else, someone who could gain higher marks than you have now." The Commissioner looked to her directly now, "But I won't. On one condition. It's not the easiest condition to accept."

"I'll accept anything sir." The Commissioner merely smiled at that statement, with Commissioner Chan attempting to stifle his own laughter. A short glance caused Deputy Chan to cease his movements.

"Have you heard, by chance, of vampires?" Lucy raised her eyebrows at the question from the old Commissioner. It was certainly out of field, a full 360 when it came to what they were originally talking about.

Rather than objecting at the strange question, she merely answered, "I have, of course, in stories."

"And I would assume you wouldn't believe me if I said that they were true? Those stories you speak of?" The Commissioner smiled at her confusion, "I have considered putting you in the hands of Alfendi Layton. He is the best for educational purposes. I am sure if I place you under his care, you will learn plenty."

"But sir--" Deputy Chan attempted to cut through, but the Commissioner raised a calloused hand up to silence him.

"What does he have to do with vampires though? I assume you want to put me in his hands, but I don't understand why this..." Lucy questioned, trailing off. For her horrid scores, she still knew how to put two and two together.

"Lucy, I ask you of this because this assignment is no simple assignment. It requires more from you, more than you probably have ever given to any job in the past." The Commissioner pursed his lips, "I have retained giving anyone to Inspector Layton because of who he is. For as much that I have experienced with vampires in the past, he is still a relatively new one. He feeds off of a public feeder employed by his father, but he doesn't quite like the taste of her blood. To that, he goes on days without drinking. Picky fellow."

"So the condition is that I am to also be his feeder?" Lucy frowned. She wasn't sure she'd entirely like this situation, as it placed her in a compromising place. On one hand, she would be able to live out her dream with a slight downside. On the other, she could walk away and go search for another division to be a part of. That could take awhile, especially considering what they would see: her low marks.

"In a sense. You pick up fast, DC Baker." The Commissioner opened a drawer, taking out a folder. "In the event that you do take this position, I will supply you with drinks that will return what nutrients he takes from you. It won't be an easy life, as you must report to him everyday even through holidays and weekends, but for the most part you won't be inhibited to do what you wish. There is also a small bonus of payment, which comes from his father."

"I..." She looked for the words to grasp, but found none. Instead, she weighed her options. She would be able to solve crimes with him, under the concept of those terms the Commissioner had said. It wasn't going to hurt to try. If she didn't like it, she could leave. Simple as that.

"It's no easy thing to accept, like I had mentioned earlier." The Commissioner said, closing her folder, "I cannot expect you to do it at the drop of a hat. Becoming a donor is not like donating at the blood bank--"

"I'll take it." Lucy finally said, settled on the fact. Both the Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner raised their eyebrows, surprised at her lack of hesitation. "I know better than to let a measly condition stop me. I want to help."

"So be it, DC Baker." He nodded to Deputy Chan, who pulled out a contract. "This strictly entails that you will remain under him for six months as his feeder. It is not a binding contract for long term as we do not know what he will think of you. Nonetheless, I see that it's possible that you two will get along just as fine."

She came close to the desk, scanning the contract. Most of what was listed was aforementioned by the Commissioner, from the drinks that the Commissioner guaranteed to the demand of her time.

What struck her was one specific demand: _Signee shall not follow through with a binding feed, regardless of demands of individual in question. Signee must speak to representatives of binding contract._ It listed Commissioner Barton, along with Professor Hershel Layton, who she could only assume was Inspector Layton's father. 

"Binding feed?"

"If he does take a shining on you, DC Baker, he may request a binding feed. Your blood would be compromised to anyone else who attempts to take it, with a taste that wouldn't be satisfactory to any other vampire's taste. We request not to listen, as it can be more than what you bargain for." She nodded at the response. Taking the nearby pen, she signed without qualm and returned the contract back to the Commissioner.

"Now that it is settled, I trust Deputy Chan to take you to his office." The Commissioner nodded to Deputy Chan, who gladly walked out of the office with Lucy in tow.

It was a silent endeavor until Deputy Chan stopped in front of a office far back into Scotland Yard that Lucy didn't even know existed.

"Lucy." Deputy Chan said, turning to her.

"Yes?"

"I know I'm giving you a hard time with your scores. You didn't do as bad as it sounds or looks. I just want to warn you. Alfendi is dangerous, above all things. I know the Commissioner believes in his faith, but he is still what he is, a vampire." Deputy Chan sighed, scratching the back of his head, "I believe that you can do well. I just hope you understand what you're getting into, Lucy."

"I do. Thanks for the warning, Deputy. It means plenty." With a deep breath, she grabbed ahold of the handle and turned it, opening it to her new office.

Or doom.


	2. The Prof

The office itself was dimly lit, blinds drawn and a small lamp bringing the only sight of light. From what she could gather, the room was definitely not cleaned in awhile. If it had, it must still look this way due to unkempt tidiness. She stepped forward, the door closing behind her. She could not lie that she felt an uneasiness that swept her at that moment. She was lurking in somewhere she felt she had no jurisdiction in doing so, despite what she had signed and resigned herself to doing.

"Hello?" She questioned, frowning at the lack of anyone inside the office during daytime hours. She almost turned back to call to Deputy Chan that Inspector Layton wasn't here, but she was surprised by the turning of the office chair to reveal what she suspected was her new mentor. Quelling whatever fears she had in herself—she was a big girl after all—she smiled to him. "Hi, are you Inspector Layton?"

"Quite so. I take it you're the assistant that the memo I received yesterday spoke of." His voice was velvet, though she would have never determined that at first glance. He wore a strange ensemble of sweater and lab coat, with his medium length hair in a ponytail. It was still hard to determine his features, though she could see a bit of stubble when he moved his hand away from his chin. "Lucy Baker."

"The memo from yesterday?" Lucy frowned, still not moving from her position, "I only just accepted the position two minutes ago."

"Commissioner Barton told me it was possible—said you had a spirit like a coursing river when it came to this job, despite your lack of marks. It had been decided since yesterday that you would most likely be my assistant. It just came to your acceptance." He stood immediately, "I do apologize of how strange this position is. I've never had a permanent donor, so we'll both be on the cusp of new boundaries. Don't feel like you have to go into formalities when addressing me though."

For a vampire, he was friendly. Friendly enough at first glance. Perhaps he was being friendly because he couldn't risk losing her—not like she couldn't leave anyway. The contract was binding. If not the one she signed, then the one she had when she first signed up to work here.

"Can I call you Prof?" She inquired, which caused him to frown. "You know, since you'll be teaching me new things like a Professor."

"Yes well, I wouldn't quite say that it's necessarily appropriate. My father is a professor himself." He tried to reason, but Lucy saw it as an unfit excuse

"Well, you said no formalities. I'm going to call you Prof. Not like you can get rid of me anyway." She said before she could control herself. The Prof only scoffed.

"No, I suppose not." He waited for a moment, staring at her—more specifically, her neck. Seeing as she made no movements, he seemed to determine he had to make the moves. "I'm going to have to have you sit on the sofa over there. I can't allow for you to fall for your first feeding." She complied without question, sidestepping to the sofa and taking a seat.

"Is there anything I should know beforehand?" She queried, eying him cautiously. If the Commissioner's words were to follow, he most likely hadn't fed in awhile. Anything could go wrong.

"It won't hurt as much as you may be assuming. It'll also leave a scar where I penetrate your flesh." He pointed to her neck, more specifically her carotid artery. "I will have to request that you unbotton the top two buttons of your coat and bring the collar down for easier access." He made no move in doing it himself, in which she was grateful for. Even with his intentions murky at first glance, he was still some form of a gentleman. Obliging to his command, she unbuttoned the first two buttons of her emerald coat.

"What now?" She asked breathlessly, looking back to him.

"I'll handle the rest, Lucy." He murmured, bringing her close to him. It wasn't enough to necessarily warrant questionable reasoning, though it was close enough that he was able to bite into her pale flesh. She let out a loud yelp—he had most definitely lied to her about the pain—but the Prof held her still by holding her wrists down with a force she didn't think he could have. It was quite the dizzying experience, for it felt odd for the blood sucked, let alone his cold skin against her own neck. However, she knew that she had to resign to this and attempted to settle as comfortable as possible as the warm blood escaped her throat.

It was a challenge for him to restrain himself.

As she was warned by the Commissioner, he certainly hadn't fed for awhile and continued to take and take. Even for Lucy's lack of knowledge on vampires, it surely shouldn't last as long as she was forced to deal with. It felt like an eternity till he released, taking a handkerchief he had in his lab coat pocket and wiping off her skin. Feeling her consciousness evade her, she slumped across his lap, fainting. He looked down to her with a sigh, realizing his lack of tact.

"Sorry, Lucy." He muttered, licking his teeth clean of the remaining blood. "You taste wonderful. Better than her. Probably from those stupid customs." He spoke to himself, more specifically of the olden customs in which private donors would taste a specific way to differ them from public donors. They were mere customs that were of the past. Sighing, he lifted her head slowly and replaced his lap with a pillow, leaving her be for a moment.

* * *

Lucy woke to a pounding headache and a trembling body, covered in a light blanket that the Prof must have placed. The Prof was sitting in front of her, sitting in his office chair, a case file in hand. She attempted to sit up, but she was disoriented, so she fell back down in pain, whining slightly over the stretching of the still fresh bite marks.

"I wouldn't get up if I were you, Lucy." Had this been a different scenario, those words would have been terrifying.

"You lied to me. That really hurt, you know?" She grumbled, clutching her head. The initial pain had disappeared, leaving in its place a dull throb.

"No, I don't." He said a little too quickly, shutting the case file immediately and tossing it on the coffee table. He picked up a glass with what looked like a strange concoction and brought it close to her. Upon examination, it was a shake. A strange looking shake. "I took a guess and brought you the chocolate flavor of this shake. It will help you with reorientation and give you back the nutrients I took."

"How long was I out?" She inquired as she attempted to sit up once more, the disorientation not as strong as it was at the beginning. She took the drink from his hands and took a sip. It was chocolate, as he had mentioned. Tasty as well, she thought to herself as she drank some more.

"For a few seconds. Afterwards, you closed your eyes again for roughly 10 minutes, fatigue easily striking. Longer than I thought, but it could have been longer with the amount I was taking from you." He scratched the back of his head, suddenly shy, "I apologize."

"What for?" She placed the now finished glass next to the case file. "I signed up for this, didn't I?"

"I was a little overzealous. Too overzealous." He responded, sheepish now. "For all my hunger, I know you're still brand new to this. You just found out my kind exists, let alone It's not fair for me to have lied, no less took more than I should have."

"Ee, you were hungry. People who are hungry do things they wouldn't do normally all the time. Vampires are no exception to the rule, I suppose." She felt better after the shake--whatever was in it definitely had quite the punch. "Could I ask some questions though?"

"Sure. Whether you get an answer is a different story." His eyes sparkled in amusement, knowing that he was playing with her. He definitely did have a change of color when he had a his fix. Earlier, it looked as though he was ready to rip her head off.

"When did you become a vampire?"

"Four years ago during a case." His eyes darkened slightly at the mention, but it was gone as quick as it came. That was something she was sure she wouldn't be able to prod at, lest she want him to clam up. "Long story short I am a vampire now. I've had to live with it."

"Any powers like the stories say?" He chuckled at that.

"I can walk in the sun, it'll just feel like a light prick to the skin unless I haven't fed. As for powers, nothing I can think of. Just a handicap of having to feed off blood."

"Nothing you can think of or you just don't want to tell me?" She inquired.

"That's up for you to decide, Lucy." He glanced at the clock on the wall, "Now we have a case waiting for us."

"A case?" Blimey, she almost forgot what she came here for in the first place from being enamoured over her new predicament.

"Surely you remember the other half of why you're also still sitting here. You're a Detective Constable, my dear." He motioned towards the file, "Sandy Aldwich is calling us for justice."


	3. Of Messy Hair and Chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiya! glad you guys liked the first two chapters. I'm trying to see how I'm going to work out the rest, but I hope that interest doesn't leave me and I'll be able to finish. I have a rough outline but I apologize if it isn't going to be the best work--it's been awhile since I have actively made the choice to write...well, a longer fanfiction that isn't a one-shot.

"We cracked it!" Lucy grinned, dusting her hands off. It was by no easy feat to solve the case, though she was sure it was only an entry level one. But she survived her first case, despite what reservations she was sure both the Prof and herself had. The stumbles she made along the way were thankfully easily corrected by her new mentor.

"It was quite impressive Lucy, especially for someone's first case." He congratulated her, making notes in the report he needed to file. Lucy smiled sheepishly across from him, rubbing her neck at the area the Prof had bit into her. It was healing impressively well, despite the relative freshness. It no longer stung to the touch, but felt as though it hadn't been touched so recently.

"Now you're just saying that to make me feel better for the mistakes I made." She smiled sheepishly, pink tainting her cheeks.

"Mistakes are normal. Some people aren't due for this line of work. Generally, what prevents them lies in their abilities to both actively seek out the murderer while being able to remain consistent within their interrogation towards the said criminal. Their resolve fades when they stumble upon mistakes, thinking that this line of work is what you tend to expect in the movies." He tapped his chin, thinking for a moment before saying, "Now I can confidently call you my assistant."

"Really Prof?" She asked, "I suppose I passed your test, ey? Not that we really needed one."

"The whole 'Prof' thing can be worked on, but I suppose you are able enough based on that case that I can call you as such. Besides being my donor." He said, adjusting his lab coat. "Let me try again, shall I?"

"Hm?" She tilted her head slightly to the side, "Try what again, Prof?"

"My previous attempt to introduce--or rather, lack thereof--isn't fair to you, considering you'll be a permanent addition. If you will allow me, I would like to try again." He said. Lucy merely nodded.

"Welcome to London's New Scotland Yard Serious Crime Division Classified Investigation Agency Headquarters." His expression indicated severe annoyance at the long name and she was inclined to agree. She was about to comment on such when he continued, "The name drags on longer than necessary; incredibly inefficient. I tend to call this place the Mystery Room for the sake of brevity."

"Heh. Sounds quite mysterious, Prof." She smiled more to herself, "I work in the Mystery Room. Chuck all your crimes at me and I'll bat them all down one by one!" His lips tugged upwards at her enthusiasm, though turned his attention back to the report he was filling out. It was roughly a five minutes of silence before the Prof broke it.

"One more thing, Lucy." He said without lifting his eyes off the report, "What time do you tend to rise on the weekend?"

"Er..." She was about to ask why he requested such information from her, then she recalled the second half of her job. "Depends, Prof. I consistently wake around 9 though."

"Perfect." He took a notepad and scribbled down an address, passing it to her. "Come to this address at 11 o'clock sharp on Saturday."

* * *

Saturday rolled around before Lucy could anticipate it. He had not called upon her services as a donor since that first day, expressing that it wasn't something he would need every day and they could continue on their exhaustive business of solving each case that came to their doorstep. The week transpired with mainly small cases, those that were not of necessary importance but still needed to be solved. It was fun, amusing, and interesting. 

The address the Prof provided her was to one of the flats that were roughly 15 minutes from Scotland Yard. A modest, small yet not so small flat tucked in the middle of busy London. Knowing the general salary of a Detective Inspector, he should have been able to afford better. Perhaps it just wasn't in his purview to divulge in such wants or needs.

Her own flat was roughly only 8 minutes from his, so she made no necessary rush when she knocked on his door at exactly 11 o'clock sharp as promised. The door flung open, much to her surprise, revealing a disheveled Prof--well, more so than he normally was. Rather than wearing the lab coat she was so used to gracing his features, he wore only a holey jumper and sweatpants.

"Lucy." He slurred slightly. If she didn't know better, she would have almost said that he was drunk or high but he had no trace of alcohol nor drugs on his person from what she could tell. It was more that he had woken up abruptly and was dealing with a bit of vertigo from standing so quickly, but it had to be more than that.

"Prof, good morning! Are you okay? You don't look so well--oh!" Lucy stepped forward into the carpeted flat, grabbing a hold of her mentor who seemed to be on the verge of everything and nothing at the same time. He would have fallen had her reflexes not kicked in. She managed to drag his lanky frame onto the nearby couch. "Prof? Prof, can you hear me?" She squatted in front of him, trying to look at him clearly and nudged at his shoulder. His head lolled to the side, glancing down to Lucy's concerned face.

"Sorry. I tend to go on these long periods that I don't feed, even when I have my old donor's vials in my possession for emergencies. It has become quite the habit." He massaged his temples as though doing so would alleviate the problem. "I must confess I lied to you about not needing your blood. I can last for a few days, but it does become quite the problem when I don't feed."

"You look ghastly Prof! You shouldn't be subjecting yourself to this, especially if you know it can do this to you. Why did you lie to me?" She bit her lip when he just moaned softly, "I'm here now, right? You'll be sorted soon enough."

He looked to her in earnest, examining her through quiet eyes. It must be agony for him, she realized. Like a craving that couldn't disappear unless it was sated, but it would return so very often. She wished she could understand his perspective.

"It was my vicious attempt to see if I could ignore these cravings. I must confess, even after four years of testing the limits, it doesn't quite work like I expected." He muttered, fingers reaching for her neck to touch where he had bit her that Monday. It healed well, save for scarring that wasn't obvious at first glance unless one really looked into it.

"But why ignore them if you know what they could do to you?" It was more of a rhetorical question but the Prof graced her with an answer anyway.

"Never asked to be this," he admitted plainly, "I cannot seem to get away from it. Let's just get it over with, shall we?"

She nodded, tucking the stray strands of hair and came close to him like before, taking a seat. She had opted for a green cardigan to make it easier to take from him. The Prof brought her close, even to the point where she was practically sitting on his lap. She craned her neck out for easier access, to which the Prof chuckled at darkly. Without segue, he came close to the pale skin and bit.

* * *

The feeling wasn't any better than it was that Monday, but it was much more tolerable and more importantly, shorter than last time. He let go after a minute, licking his teeth clean and savoring every drop he took. Taking a tissue from a box atop the coffee table, he wiped off the remaining blood and let the wound heal on it's own.

"You didn't take as much as before." She commented, shifting so she was now sitting next to him rather than atop him. 

"No, I didn't." He mused, abruptly taking a stand and strolling to his pantry, where he pulled out a red vial from, dumping it's contents into a tea cup. "I didn't want you to pass out like before. The first time you found me, my hunger was more unkempt than before. A whole month and some odd days without feeding, save for small portions of these vials if I could help it."

"But you didn't look as pale nor did you collapse like you did now." She said, standing up herself. The dizziness was still present, but with a clutch of the wall, she could still stand well. She finally took a look around her, no longer busy with worrying for her mentor. Just like the Mystery Room, his home had an unkempt cleanliness that was surely just his way of living--boxes of newspapers, clippings pinned to the wall that held a variety of cases. Takeout boxes strewn on the kitchen table gave enough notice that he didn't cook, though his food choices were always of variety and more importantly, small. He was lanky, after all.

"Trick of the light, my dear Lucy. It's different than before. I tend to feel a sense of sickness after going back on the habit-- essentially what you witnessed today." He responded, sipping into the tea cup and gave a small sound of disgust. "Your blood definitely changes this for me. You're much sweeter, with a tang that I can't quite place."

"Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not, Prof." She couldn't help the blush that sprang to her cheeks--even if he wasn't intentionally being flirty. She shook the thoughts away from her head before she could entertain them. _You're just feeling the rush of the blood being taken from you. Stop entertaining such thoughts._

"Take it as you will." He opened his fridge, musing with small sips as he looked. "I do hope that you finish up your contract and renew it. That's when they request that you give me blood in vials, for emergencies like this."

"You're so sure I'm going to stay and even renew the contract, are you?" He finally looked up to her with a shine that Lucy couldn't quite place, like he was both gleeful but also sorrowful at the question. It took him a moment to answer, a coy smile playing upon his features.

"No, I don't. But it's a variable I'm willing to wager on." He downed the rest of the blood in the cup, even going far as to lick the insides. "I don't have any shakes to help your nutrient recovery, so we must go have lunch."

"We're having lunch?" She cocked an eyebrow up, surprised at this development. She had expected that he was to merely use her and then she would leave, going about her business as though blood was not taken from her in excess.

"Of course. That is why I requested for 11 o'clock. I would be remiss if I intentionally let you free without at least a shake in your hand. I may be a vampire, Lucy, but I do take from my father in his gentlemanly mannerisms. Give me a moment to change." Placing the cup down, he strolled away to his, what she could only assume was his bedroom without another word to his confused Detective Constable.


	4. Her Ire

It didn't take long for the Prof to finish changing and what he wore was a complete contrast to what she had been used to for the past week. 

"You don't wear the lab coat." She said before she could stop it when he walked out of his bedroom, crimson button-up and black slacks extruding a display of professionalism. "Of course you don't." She murmured to herself, shaking her head. She supposed he had thought he was equally as strange outside the Mystery Room, but even he was a normal bloke at the end of the day.

"Lucy, if I wore the lab coat outside the office, I think I would gain myself more than a few looks. Do you see anyone wearing a lab coat when you came here?" He laughed, strolling past her. "They'd see me as some creepy scientist."

"Or a pharmacist." That earned her a chortle, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He winked to her, flinging open the door and beckoning for her to follow. With no other choice, she adjusted her hat and followed her mentor out the flat with no complaint.

* * *

Lunch ended up being at the nearby bistro, halfway between the Scotland Yard and his flat. It was clear he was a regular, as the owner smiled at him in familiarity and already had his order rung up. Lucy ordered a mere sandwich, hoping that it was to satisfy her hunger but the Prof shook his head.

"No, that won't quite help. You'll need a bit more." He commented. Lucy glanced to him in confusion. She supposed this was going to be a daily occurrence, what with him being mysterious and her being on the receiver end. Nonetheless, she accepted her newfound position with grace, knowing that she did sign up for this. No point in complaining.

"What do you mean, Prof?" The Prof glanced a knowing look to the owner, who merely nodded and jotted down an order that was most likely completely off from what she wanted. 

"Your diet needs to replace what I take. My fair man here knows what to do." Paying for the orders, he lead her to the back of the bistro and sat in the booth, crossing his arms in amusement.

"Then what did you get for me?" She inquired, adjusting her hat.

"Something to coincide with the diet that tends to be recommended to donors. I didn't want to assume what you wanted so I let you rattle off." The same man from earlier came back, placing two sandwiches in front of them along with some fruits in a bowl. Lucy's sandwich looked exact to the picture that she had seen outside.

"But what's the difference?" Lucy asked, poking at the sandwich warily. She knew that he wouldn't necessarily attempt to hurt her, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. With no response, she glanced up at him questionably.

"There _isn't_ any difference. I'm joking with you, Lucy." He smirked, taking a bite of his sandwich. "It's good to see you're careful with yourself though. It's exactly what you ordered, though I highly encourage you to eat the fruit, it will help."

"Blimey Prof. What a sense of humor you have." She rolled her eyes, also biting into her sandwich. Like promised, the sandwich had nothing of flavor that would indicate tampering. "I do hope you know that I'll eat whatever I need to if it means you won’t pass out like earlier.”

"Quite right. But there's no sense of adventure with being proper." He was about to continue on when he looked behind Lucy and his whole demeanor shifted, as though all the color in his face had drained just like when she found him. It was as though he had seen a ghost. 

"Prof?" Lucy turned to where he was looking to find herself staring, at a large mass of blonde. From her demeanor, it was clear she was used to dominating the room. Lucy was almost inclined to say that her stare towards the Prof was of ice, almost akin to when one would stare at their longest frenemy. Almost to say that there was more history that Lucy wasn't quite aware of.

"Al." The woman addressed him curtly, as though his mere existence already frustrated her.

"Hilda." He returned her greeting with a kindness that thinly veiled his true thoughts. Lucy felt uncomfortable, as though she was stepping into a conversation that she shouldn't be apart of. Perhaps she shouldn't be.

"I take it this is your new donor." Hilda spoke as though the Detective Constable wasn't present, her glare still affixed to Lucy's mentor. "Why the Commissioner put you with someone so... _inexperienced,_ I will never understand. Suppose it's the only way to keep you intact without causing a scene."

"Er hello there." Lucy stood, outstretching her hand to this Hilda, attempting to ignore the woman's rudeness towards her as though she didn't exist, "Lucy Baker."

"I'm aware of who you are. I've been told plenty about you. I must say, you're intentionally laying with the devil by staying around him." She did not shake Lucy's hand, but rather crossed her arms pointedly to the Prof. Lucy frowned at her choice of words. _Laying with the devil?_ "Please tell me you don't plan on keeping this one. Being a donor is a challenge that I'm sure Lucy here wouldn't want to deal with."

"What I do is none of your business, Hilda. It isn't even my choice." The Prof responded curtly, the edge in his voice giving Lucy surprise. He never talked like that before. "I take it you're disappointed your bonus has been given to someone else?"

"On the contrary. I'm glad you no longer need of me. Taking blood out has always been such a chore." Her voice and face expressed indifference, but even Lucy could tell it was still a touchy subject.

"That's not what you'd say about Justin." The name, whoever that was, brought even further annoyance on Hilda's features. Rather than gracing him with an answer, she briskly turned on her heel and walked away. Lucy bit her lip, sitting back down and turning to the Prof.

"Who was that?" Lucy questioned, taking a strawberry and biting into it. The Prof pinched the bridge of his nose, already tired of the affair as it was.

"Hilda Pertinax. My previous donor." He explained, the edge in his voice gone as quick as it came. Lucy filed it in the back of her head that she was going to ask about it later. "She's another Investigator at Scotland Yard, you'll probably bump into her more now that you've seen her. Cunning, ruthless, and constantly choosing work above all. I'm surprised she's even out on this Saturday--she tends to stay in her office all days of the week. The man I referenced is Justin Lawson, her main feeder. The one she _belongs_ to."

"Is the blood from those vials hers?" 

"Quite right. They placed me under her care originally with Justin's insistence. After some...quarrels, I no longer fed from her directly." He murmured, his plate clean save for some bread crumbs. "She's always been quick witted and a vixen."

"You say like you have quite the history with her, Prof." _More than you want to tell me._ But Lucy knew better than to open old wounds. Even seeing Hilda was an open wound in of itself.

"To a degree, I suppose you could say so." He mused idly, then checked the time on a nearby clock. "If you'll excuse me, Lucy, I have some things to attend to. Do finish the food though. I can't have you falling apart before Monday."

"Prof--" She couldn't even call for him before he fled, leaving Lucy in a pile of questions with no answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short update, though we are going to get into the meat of it very soon. I'm considering making my own cases, though we have yet to see what'll happen.


	5. Fair Balance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking about how I want to write the whole split personality thing--it's definitely a concept I want to do. I've been thinking of different ideas left and right. Not really sure. Rough outlines and all, it's still an uncertainty.

The next two months became a slow slog of going through different cases--from murderous jealousy to just mere stupidity, they cracked it. She did say that every case that would come to their doorstep, it would be solved with no problem. It made Lucy proud--she made less errors and the Prof looked at her in joy every time they solved it. She was already showing more promise than she did in the past, something she could easily attribute to the Prof. Where she'd be if she didn't accept the position, she didn't know..

"Good morning Lucy." The Prof greeted her as she stepped into the Mystery Room one Wednesday, prepared already for the feeding with her coat's first two buttons already unbuttoned. 

Through and through, as the Prof had promised, she grew to get used to their feedings every other day. No longer did her flesh cry out in misery at his teeth, nor did she or the Prof have episodes of faint. She never saw Hilda again in those two months, nor did she ever see that Justin Lawson he spoke of despite working under the same roof. She supposed it was a good thing--there was a mystery there that she had no hand in, no hand in at all. 

"Mornin' Prof! What do we have today? Double homicide? Murder by disappearing weapon? A murder staged?" She questioned her dear mentor, slinging her shoulder bag on the couch she had fed from for the first time. The Prof smiled at her enthusiasm.

"As much as those prospects interest me, there's nothing yet Lucy. I don't suppose you--" before he could even finish his sentence, a burly man in very unappealing striped pants stormed in. Lucy sidestepped towards the window, surprised at the sudden outburst. The Prof, on the other hand, displayed no sense of surprise. Rather, it was as though he had expected it, despite his words, "Lawson. What a surprise."

Lucy looked to the man that burst into their quiet morning. She watched calmly as the two had a bit of a silent conversation for the briefest moment, glares and all. Yet another mystery that Lucy had to file in the back--there was never quite a moment to express interest over the Prof's past. 

"Al." Justin glanced over to Lucy, "And Miss Lucy Baker. Justin Lawson of the Serious and Supernatural Crime Squad. It's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand that didn't hold the case file and Lucy took it with hesitance. His grip was firm and calm, extruding a sense of uneasiness that Lucy couldn't quite place. Justin let go, turning to her mentor and took great strides towards his desk.

"Supernatural?" Lucy queried, raising an eyebrow. The man adjusted his tie and turned to her. He looked as though he was ready to give a lecture on his department.

"Indeed. Supernatural as they come, though on paper and to anyone not in the Scotland Yard, I'm just a part of the Serious Crime Squad. High profile cases, ones that tend to be higher than the everyday homicide." Justin explained to her, crossing his arms. "Vampires tend to be the supernatural problem, though there's others that crop up sometimes."

"What can I do for you then, Justin?" The Prof asked, the same edge had used with Hilda returning in full form. He must hate both of them--he had been nothing but kind to Lucy. "I assume this isn't a social call." The Prof gestured to the case file under Justin's arm.

"A case. One you might like." He tossed the case over to the Prof, who took it and peered in. It only took a few lines of text for the Prof to slam the file shut and tossed it onto the desk with little interest.

"You know theses cases aren't my specialty or in my interest." The Prof said, tapping on the wood of his desk. Justin's eyebrow twitched.

"On the contrary. I think you might like it if you read more of the file." Justin glanced to Lucy, who looked confused. The Prof never rejected a case. "Al gets like this. He doesn't like cases that are of the supernatural sort, says that they're not his division since he hasn't been one for long. Can't get into the mind of the murderer, he's said before. Uncertainty is his worst enemy."

"I say that because they aren't my interest at all. Also, please refrain from talking about me as though I'm not present." The Prof huffed. This was the most difficult he had ever been in her two months with him. Justin opened some wounds, Lucy could gather as much. "Can't you just swab up some DNA and figure it out yourself? I'm sure Florence can help you figure the murderer with no qualm." 

"That's the thing Al, it's not open and shut as you may think." Justin was really trying to reason with him, Lucy could tell. She didn't understand why though--the Prof tended to take any case that came to their doorstep without qualm. 

"And that's still supposed to intrigue me?" The Prof wrinkled his nose. 

Justin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Al, please cut me some slack. It's more than that. There has been a string of failed attempts to turn _children_ into vampires in more...unconventional manners. If it was an easy, open and shut case, I wouldn't call you to it. I have other people to bother for that."

"Turning children into vampires. Blimey." Lucy muttered to herself, the concept shaking her to the core. Justin nodded to her, grimacing.

"It's abnormal. Most, if not all vampires know it's common law and practice not to do so--children aren't old enough to understand, let alone handle their feeding needs. They can be groomed to be cold blooded killers, feeding their fill more than necessary because it's what they were taught." Justin explained, grabbing the file that the Prof had haphazardly thrown and gave it to Lucy to look at. "We have enough cases to cause a field day, much so that I've had to call on almost everyone at the Yard."

Lucy opened the file and read the same blurb the Prof had. _Twenty-seven children, all surrounding the greater London area have been drained of blood, most likely failed attempts of vampire conversion..._ The images that were paper clipped to the file sickened her, the pale and drained bodies of boys and girls, between the ages of six and fourteen. Their eyes rolled back, stuck in positions of agony. She closed the folder and closed her eyes for a moment, regaining her composure. 

"And remind me what this has to do with me?" The Prof crossed his arms.

"This very much changes the dynamic of what we are, Al." He leaned forward on the desk, glaring at the Prof, "It's one thing to drain out a donor without thinking, crassly. It's another to target children. Innocent children who could have lived. Do you know what the press would say?"

"Damn the press to hell, Justin. It's not in my purview--" 

"The press would say, Al, that _people like us aren't meant for this society._ " Justin spoke over him, "To purge the rest of us, sentiments from years past returning. Are you not concerned for your safety? For _Lucy's safety_? She's a donor on file, there's a contract for God's sake. She can get harmed just as much as you can for associating with us." It was a low blow to bring in her into the argument, she could tell. The Prof stood abruptly, slamming his hands on the desk. She could swear that his hair became more disheveled than it already was, a crimson tint that didn't seem to be there in the past emerging. Justin looked practically perturbed at the sudden change, so much as to step away from the Prof as though he was another criminal.

"Get out of my office, Lawson." He barked with a tone that Lucy had never seen him use on even the vilest of criminals they had faced.

"Al--"

"Now, before I bloody make you!" With a glance to Lucy, Justin nodded and stepped away.

"Prof?" Lucy called to her mentor, who turned away from her and crossed his arms. All that could be heard in their little Mystery Room was the sounds of the cars down the street and their breathing. "Are you alright?" She stepped forward carefully, the tension fragile enough that it could break. He raised a hand, waving her away before she could come any closer.

"Lucy, I'm fine. Got a little too emotional, didn't I? Sorry. Do you mind if you make me a cuppa? I need a moment to breathe. We can feed and look for a case after." He requested of her quietly, massaging his temples.

"Ee, of course Prof. I'll be right back." Sliding the folder under her arm, she slipped away to the hallways, where Justin was still standing with Hilda in a nearby corridor on the way to the break room. She backed herself against the wall, attempting to listen in.

"I don't get him." Justin muttered, the irritation clear in his voice, "He has no right to sound so cold. It's his job to solve this, I don't care if he's so bent on not being a vampire, he damn well signed up for this job. The victims are bloody children!"

"You never will understand him, Justin." Hilda responded, the disappointment leaking from her voice, "I feel sorry for the poor girl that's stuck with him. She doesn't know what she got herself into." Lucy craned her neck in an effort to hear more of their conversation, but they moved to Justin's office before they could reveal anymore. Lucy huffed, the answers just barely out of reach. How she wished she could just know like everyone else who Alfendi Layton was.

"Eavesdropping, eh?" Lucy jumped to the voice, finding herself next to Dustin, the janitor. She exhaled in relief, glad that it wasn't the Commissioner or the Prof that found her loitering for answers.

"Blimey Dustin. Could tap my shoulder or something instead of frightening me." Lucy scratched the back of her head, "Couldn't help it. I don't know anythin' about the Prof even after bein' here for two months. He's still a bit of a stranger."

"Fair enough. They've gotten themselves quite da mouths for tryna be secretive." Dustin grinned, then looked at her in seriousness--an expression that didn't tend to grace his features that often. "I haven't been here for so long, Lucy. I do know that ye gotta be careful with that Al of yours. Ever since he turned, he ain't quite the same."

"What do you mean quite the same?" Lucy questioned, "Everyone's been saying that to me, warning me and the like. I don't get it. He's never harsh with me."

"It's cuz you're no criminal. You're his donor, someone he needs to protect. No need to be aggressive to ya." Dustin clutched onto his broom, "I don't know much Luce, so I can't help ya much, but I'll keep this between us, ta ta." He continued along his merry way and Lucy to her own, still thinking about what everyone had said about her dear mentor since the first day she stood in front of the Mystery Room. From Deputy Chan to even Dustin's warnings, they were too much to ignore.

Just who was her mentor before she came along?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also wanted to thank puzzleden for being so encouraging,, it means loads. the updates are really for your encouragement--I would have probably stopped writing after the first two chapters. :)


	6. Trust Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longer than the previous chapters--it's repeating itself, but I guarantee that eventually there'll be some sort of...plot or whatever lmao

Lucy stood in front of the counter, waiting for the water to finish heating up with her thoughts brewing inside. The case file that Justin had left her still in hand, she debated whether or not she was going to look into it. The Prof must have a reason to reject such a case, as from even what she had seen in the photographs and small blurb of explanation, it was more than just children getting killed without mercy. Taking a deep inhale of air, she opened the file.

It took her a moment to come to grips with what the case file truly entailed--it was certainly more than what she had bargained for at first glance. From photographs to detailed descriptions, it was filled to the brim with detail. Flipping through photographs, she felt incredibly queasy even as it was her second time around. 

The police report didn't do her any better--whoever wrote them chose to write them without sugar coating. _Not that they'd sugar coat this. Anyone with a heart would be sick to their stomachs. Blimey... Children. Young children getting killed? And the Prof wants nothing to do with it? Why not? What's gotten him so riled up that he can't take this specific case?_

According to the person who wrote the case file (upon close inspection, it was Justin who had done so), the case was apparently reminiscent to the Vampire Chronicles case, where the murderer would place a fresh page of a book about vampires on the body of the victim. The pages tended to be dependent on the age of the victim—in this particular case, it was all children's books about the vampire on Sesame Street, the Count. Only difference was that the Vampire Chronicles had a solution to them, a certain Keelan Makepeace, who had been dead for four years. It must be a copycat scenario, by someone who either admired or just plain wanted to fool the authorities with.

The police had been stumped for ages, with no considerable leads. The only reason why they had caught Makepeace in the first place was because he _wanted_ to be caught and anything after couldn't have been done by his own hand. It surprised Lucy that she didn't hear about this case, at least on the telly. A mass murder of children couldn't be that easy to ignore. She supposed that it was meant to be secret; complete media blackout. Or perhaps they were silenced. Lucy wasn't so sure.

She wondered for the families of the children, how they would have to live with the rest of their lives pretending this didn’t happen or telling lies through their teeth. It was a tragic truth—vampires were still taboo in this time and age despite such dramatic retellings in television and book. They wouldn’t even be believed by others, citing insanity or other means to say that they were complete falsehoods. How her family would react if they knew she was a donor...she could only imagine that they wouldn’t believe her either.

The heater beeped, slipping Lucy back into reality. She made her choice. She was going to ask the Prof to stand aside his biases and delve into the case, to bring justice to those young children. Closing the file, she made the Prof's cuppa and made her way to the Mystery Room. The Prof was looking at a case he most likely pulled from someone who probably spoke to him while she was gone. Maybe the Commissioner? Sniffer? Florence? Whoever it was, he was focused to the file until she stepped in. The atmosphere changed when he realized that she hadn't dropped what Justin brought to their attention just five minutes ago.

He frowned, most likely having several different objections on the tip of his tongue. The way his eyes darkened, it was no mistaking it—he was going to fight her to the very end against her bidding. Under any normal situation, she would have given up and understood that he didn’t want to get involved for reasons that she would happily gave way to. But this wasn’t any normal situation. It was his livelihood, _her livelihood_ at this point. Justin asked them for a reason.

"Prof—“

"Lucy, I know what you’re going to tell me. I also know you're still new and you haven’t seen the things I have." He cut her off without hesitation, “But please understand that it would be better if we didn’t get involved. Trust me on it.”

 _I don't think I can trust you, Prof._ She ignored the thought boiling in her, controlling her shaking. She had never wanted to ever go against the Prof--he generally knew what was right and could make judgements that Lucy couldn't, at times.

“ _Children_ , though, Prof?” She bristled, placing the cuppa down in front of him. She took a seat adjacent to him to control her shaking--of fear or anger, she wasn't sure. “Why can’t we get involved?” The Prof let out an exasperated sigh at her persistence. 

” _Someone_ will do it if we don’t, Lucy. May I remind you that we aren’t the only investigators out there.” The Prof responded, taking a sip. His mouth traced the ghost of a small smile from the accurate taste before he turned back to his stoic expression. “The case will be solved regardless of who takes it. Justin just wants to drop it on my lap for a reaction. Never trusted the guy in all my time working with him.”

”But Prof—“ 

"Lucy, please. I don't want to argue with you. It's not worth it to argue about things we don't have any need to worry about." He slammed the cup on the saucer, indicating that he was holding out on her when it came to his frustration. She wouldn't give way, however. 

”What are you are even afraid of, Prof? The only plausible reason you’ve said to me was that it wasn’t our area. But you promised we’d solve every case that would grace the Mystery Room.” Lucy huffed, crossing her arms. The Prof stayed silent for a moment, as though he was having some sort of internal debate. "We're at liberty to do summat about it. Why don't we?"

”It’s out of our control—“

”And neither was how these children died! Do you think they wanted to die? Do you think it was under their control to do so?” She slammed her hand on the desk, silencing him. His eyes lit up in surprise, watching her seething expression with interest, but also equal frustration, “Give me one good reason why we can’t be a part of this.”

He let out a low sigh, once again massaging his temples. The argument took wind out of him, even if it was so short. “Lucy, your emotions are clouding your judgement. I understand your concern, but please, just return the files back to Justin and drop it. We have a different case, right here. The proper people will figure it out themselves.”   
  
He had already made his decision--Lucy knew arguing would serve very little in what she wanted. Lucy frowned, turning on her heel and walking away with a deep resentment. 

* * *

Lucy knocked on Justin's door, waiting quietly for an answer. Even as her argument between the Prof was only of a short while, she was frustrated as it was. How dare he say that emotion was clouding her judgement--not to say that it wasn't, but it still irritated her all the same. His plain refusal upset her, no less made her sad. She thought of him better, thought that he had morals and could put it past his own deep internal hatred for what he was to help find closure and/or prevent more from cropping up.

"Oh, Lucy." Justin's voice brought her out of her dramatic reverie, looking down to her. "I take it Al didn't want the case even though you fought for it? Even bringing up the children, he still didn't budge, hm?"

"How'd you know that?" She felt her cheeks turn red and he laughed heartily.

"Walls ain't soundproof. Can hear your argument clear as day when I passed by. Luckily the office is so far back that the only everyone in a short distance could hear." He motioned for her to come in, his office a complete 180 from what the Prof's looked like. For Prof's being a cluttered tidiness, Justin's was the pinnacle of cleanliness, save for the mountains of paperwork on a nearby table. Dreary yellow walls, the filing cabinets were all labeled based on what kind of case they were: _high profile, vampire, werewolf..._ The desk itself was bare, save for a lamp, some pens, and a photo frame. She took the adjacent seat to his as he took his own and looked to him. 

"Ee, this is quite the office, Justin." She said, crossing her legs as she watched Justin twirl a pen in his hand absentmindedly. She placed the case file on the desk.

"Thanks. It's big enough for me to think. I'm not one for extra items that don't matter." He adjusted the toothpick in his mouth, "Look, Lucy, there are reasons why Al doesn't want to get into this, but he's also a downright dimwit. I worked with Al back then. He was...different. I'm sure everyone has told you this, so I won't bore you."

"Aye everyone does. I don't quite understand it. Searching for answers leaves me with nowt." She scratched the back of her head, "He's never been anything but kind to me. Constantly correcting my errors, being a part of my journey to be a better Detective Constable. He even cares when he feeds from me, making sure my diet is fine and I drink those shakes. There's no such malice to me." Justin smiled at her description.

"You see, that's where the problem lies, Lucy. He used to _never_ be like that. Sure, there's the general respect he tended to deliver, but my old partner was a ruthless man. He'd stop at nothing to solve a case. He became a Detective Chief Inspector quicker than I had ever seen anyone become. Then he became a vampire after...well, I don't want to tell a story that isn't mine to say."

"If he has such a reservation towards this case, surely he won't tell me anything about his past." Lucy bit her lip, "You've been the closest to telling me what's wrong with him."

"I can't." He frowned, leaning back against his chair, "Tell me, Lucy, has Al ever gone strange to you? Not necessarily to _you_ , but to the criminals you've faced so far?"

_It had been their third case together when his dark side debuted. They were trapping the suspect-soon-to-be-convicted-murderer in a corner, figuratively. The Prof was on his own roll of questioning, forgetting that Lucy was even there. Every sense had been lost on him--he was just going for it._

_"I can see how this could amuse every now and then, but it's quite the stupid mistake for even someone of your intellect to have made." Lucy glanced to her beloved mentor, surprised at the sudden change of tone. "Quite the fool's errand with such a large mistake."_

_"Ee, Prof?"_

_"I don't see what you mean, Inspector. I would never kill my ex-husband. I disliked him, yes, but I would never!" The suspect, Ophelia Jameson, had murdered her husband in cold blood after his discovery of her affair with the hypnotherapist. She claimed to had have no recollection of doing so, expressing that she still loved him and had no reason to possess a gun that was registered under the hypnotherapist's name._

_"But you did it in broad daylight! Right in front of so many witnesses!" Lucy responded, pulling out all the witness statements that Ophelia did, indeed, pull out a revolver to shoot her husband in front of their once shared flat._

_"Stop yapping! You're not seeing the brilliance! There's another person at play here. Oh that's brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Please, I can't believe my incompetent other side didn't see such a thing! I knew hypnotherapy was possible, but to use it to murder someone? Oh dear me."_

_"If you think my dear Kedan--"_

_"You're digging your own grave the more you speak! Tell me Lucy, that you see what I'm seeing. That there's more than just one competent brain working here!" Lucy fumbled, surprised at his sudden address to her. He had to be talking about Kedan Killingsworth, the hypnotherapist that Ophelia had been seeing to come over her smoking problem._

_"Are you saying that she was...hypnotized?"_

_"Exactly that, Baker! We have yet to sharpen your mind to this level, but it will do for now." He smiled wickedly to Ophelia, "You were hypnotized by your hypnotherapist to kill your husband--it would kill two birds with one stone, you see? You were already in the process of divorcing him, there was no real gain for you to kill him--just resentment. But if you went entirely with the divorce, your husband would bring the fact of your affair with Kedan and thus he would lose his medical license! So he got you to take the shot. It would incriminate you, which would lead to no affair ever present and he would continue on his day. What an idea! What an absolutely splendid idea! His mistake to have given you his revolver, but nonetheless! How I wish I could have been the one to do it, but of course, I'd much rather prefer blood on my own hands..."_

_"Blimey Prof, we get it!" Lucy said, shaking his shoulder. The Prof seemed to have regained his consciousness--well, his calm._

_"Urgh.." The Prof pinched the bridge of his nose, blinking at the lights._

_"Prof?" Lucy asked, taking hold of his arm. "Are you okay?"_

_"I'm alright, Lucy. Sorry. Did I get emotional again?" He asked sheepishly, as though he hadn't just blown the case right out of the water._

_"Quite so." He gave her a small smile, before turning back to Ophelia, who had been processing the information. "Mrs. Jameson, I think it's safe to say if we called your hypnotherapist, we will gain more answers..."_

"Ee, you mean him going all Jekyll-and-Hyde and losing all sense of calm?" Lucy asked, coming back to her senses after such a memory, "Plenty of times. They don't last very long though. But he's never had the edge against his tone until he talked to you and Hilda. He's only ever...threatened people and talked about wanting blood on his hands."

"Then I fear just as much." Justin murmured, then looked at her with absolute certainty, "Lucy, I need you to be careful. Tell me when he gets like this, especially if he hasn't fed for awhile. For your safety, Lucy."

Her thoughts came to what the Prof had said during their spat, _"The case will be solved regardless of who takes it. Justin just wants to drop it on my lap for a reaction. Never trusted the guy in all my time working with him."_

"Alright, Justin." She affirmed, taking a stand and walking towards the door. Justin called for her one more time and she turned to him.

"Trust me, Lucy. I know what's right for you." She nodded, but all she felt was a deep sense of foreboding terror, rather than warmth of the promise of trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had an internal debate on whether or not to make this M rated for...other exploits that I have in my head. I have a vague outline on how that would turn out, but it would do very little in terms of changing the plot for this story. Hmm.
> 
> Anyway, enough of my musing. I hope you enjoyed. I’m still working out the problems in the story, kind of getting my bearings. Of course I’d be the type to start a story without a means to finish, but as a one-shot writer that’s my only weakness.


End file.
